Download to Citation Manager

Cell Biology International (2005) 29, 817–825 (Printed in Great Britain)

PDF

Legacy HTML

Citing articles

Generation of embryoid bodies from mouse embryonic stem cells cultured on STO feeder cells

Qing‑Jun Zhou^a, Jian‑Zhong Shao^a*, Li‑Xin Xiang^a, Ruo‑Zhen Hu^a, Yong‑Liang Lu^b, Hang Yao^b and Li‑Cheng Dai^b

^aCollege of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, PR China
^bHuzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313100, PR China

Abstract

Embryoid bodies, which are similar to post-implantation egg-cylinder stage embryos, provide a model for the study of embryo development and stem cell differentiation. We describe here a novel method for generating embryoid bodies from murine embryonic stem (ES) cells cultured on the STO feeder layer. The ES cells grew into compact aggregates in the first 3 days of coculture, then became simple embryoid bodies (EBs) possessing primitive endoderm on the outer layer. They finally turned into cystic embryoid bodies after being transferred to Petri dishes for 1–3 days. Evaluation of the EBs in terms of morphology and differentiating potential indicates that they were typical in structure and could generate cells derived from the three germ layers. The results show that embryoid bodies can form not only in suspension culture but also directly from ES cells cultured on the STO feeder layer.

Key words: Embryonic stem cell, STO feeder layer, Embryoid body, Morphology, Differentiating potential.

^*Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +86 571 88273287.

Received 9 November 2004/1 March 2005; accepted 12 May 2005